The Workers’ Party leader calls for at least one-third of opposition MPs to ensure checks on government power.
SINGAPORE: In the Workers’ Party’s latest TikTok video, secretary-general Pritam Singh emphasizes the importance of having a strong opposition in Parliament, advocating for at least one-third of MPs to be from opposition parties. The 49-second clip is taken from his speech during the debate on the President’s Address on April 20, where he discussed issues such as foreign talent, English as a requirement for citizens and permanent residents, and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike. He also touched on the role of the opposition in a functioning democracy.
“Singaporeans want an opposition to check the PAP because, deep down, we all know that ‘ownself check ownself’ is not realistic,” Mr Singh said. He added that the inherent nature of power makes such self-checking mechanisms ineffective.
He further argued that it is in Singapore’s collective self-interest to ensure that no single party, including the ruling PAP, can amend the Constitution at will. “It is wise to have at least one-third in a party, or parties, other than the PAP,” Mr Singh stated.
In his speech, Mr Singh also echoed concerns raised by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong about the future of Singapore’s government. He stated, “Singapore’s future is not a given, and no one can ignore the possibility of a rogue government emerging from within the PAP. Our people should have real political options if or when that happens.”
The debate has sparked discussion after Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s comments on April 17, where he urged opposition MPs to propose serious policies for an alternative government rather than populist ideas. In response, Mr Singh said that he was disappointed by DPM Wong’s attempt to discredit the Workers’ Party, adding that the PAP had shifted its stance when Education Minister Ong Ye Kung acknowledged the value of some of the opposition’s ideas.
“If all we were doing was putting forward populist, unrealistic policies, we would not see the Government actively considering some variation of the Workers’ Party manifesto ideas on anti-discrimination legislation, minimum wage, and redundancy insurance,” Mr Singh said. He also highlighted that the Minister for National Development had acknowledged the Workers’ Party’s point on the inequity of HDB subsidies between mature and non-mature BTO flats.
